The Corinthian
by Diana Leto
Summary: AU Inspired by the novel of the same name by Georgette Heyer. In Earth's most modern age, a delightfully daring young engineer enters into a game of dangerous deception and possible romance. This will be a short, multi-chapter, fiction. I highly recommend the novel by Heyer as well.
1. Chapter 1

The mist dampened San Francisco sidewalk offered a percussive _pit-a-pat_ as the feet of the three hurried visitors made their way towards their destination. The two in the lead, one moving spritely despite her age, were on a mission that the third, the one bringing up the tail, wished to subvert. As the three neared Starfleet Headquarters Archer couldn't help but feel that he was chasing after an impossible goal. After all, his best friend Trip, whom this little adventure was aimed towards, had inherited his stubborn streak from his mother. Jon took the moment to look at the lady in question as she practically barreled over the Starfleet Security officer that welcomed them to the on base housing. He quickly made his apologies to the woman and hurried to keep up with Mrs. Tucker and Miss Lizzie.

It was with a sense of relief that Jon accepted the fact that Trip was in point of fact away from home on business for the day. His neighbor intercepted them and relayed this information, cautiously stepping away from the nearly hysterical Mrs. Tucker. The two Tucker women proceeded to let themselves into Trip's apartment, content with waiting through the night if need be. Jon was confused as to the urgency of their mission. It was not as if they were living in the late nineteenth century. Jon himself was a proclaimed bachelor and didn't think that Trip, who was nearly a full decade his junior, was in any danger of ending life alone.

It was after Lizzie had served them all a generous helping of Trip's iced tea that the door to his apartment slid open. Trip made his way in, surprise at the late night visitors only slightly registering on his face as he took in the state of his apartment.

"Did I forget you were coming?" He set down his bag full of PADDS and grabbed a glass of iced tea for himself. He was wearing his Starfleet Engineering uniform, the crisp blue suit jacket bringing out the blue in his eyes. The black slacks were tapered and gathered into his boots. He quickly dropped into his favorite arm chair and looked to his mother and sister, flashing them with a disarming smile.

Lizzie sat up straighter, not letting the smile phase her. "No you didn't forget. We were just at the family lawyer and we all thought it was a good idea to come and tell you about it." She nodded to her mother and to Archer who ran his hand down his face.

"Now, don't throw me under the bus. I don't understand the urgency nor the need for your little visit." Jon took a seat close to Trip and faced down the two women. Lizzie harrumphed and Mrs. Tucker rolled her baby blues and gave Jon a tight smile.

Trip looked around the room and waited for an explanation to come forth."Well, what the hell is this all about?" He gestured wildly.

Lizzie stood up and began pacing. She finally stopped after a few moments and leveled Trip with a calculating look. "Well I told you we were just at the family lawyer." She stopped talking, making sure that he was still listening. He motioned with his hand that she should continue. "Well, as it turns out Great Uncle Cyril left a large amount of money to his heir." She shifted uncomfortably. "Trip, I really wish you had gone with us to the reading of the will. Surely you could have gotten off of work for a little bit today." She huffed a deep breath and steadied herself to continue. "Uncle Cyril named _you_ as his heir."

Trip sat up straighter. "Well, I guess ol' Uncle Cy actually liked me. Thanks for stopping by." He made to stand up but then saw his mothers expression and stayed put.

Mrs. Tucker sat forward and picked at an invisible thread on her blouse. "Trip darling your uncle did have one condition about the inheritance. He died a bachelor and didn't want you to do the same. One Tucker man ending life alone is one enough."

Trip caught himself before he spit out his tea. "Mama, are you sayin' what I think you're sayin'?" He looked from his mother to his sister. "I have to get married?!"

* * *

Natalie Jones was sitting quietly in her family living room. She had received a call from Trip earlier in the day saying that he was going to be coming by. She knew it was serious because he had told her as much. They had been in a relatively serious relationship for three years and had known each other for ten. She knew he was probably going to propose soon. She couldn't claim that she loved him, not in an overwhelming way. However, she knew that Trip could provide a comfortable future for her. She would even give him a child if he wanted one. She wasn't sure of more than one child but she could give him one and then claim to not be able to raise more than one child alone. Once Trip was away on _Enterprise_ or was on a starbase somewhere he would leave her alone and she could live her life as she wanted. Her parents had always pushed her at Trip and once he showed interest she saw her opportunity. Trip was attractive, smart, and influential in Earth's space faring future.

The sound of the chime by the front door drew her attention. She double checked her outfit to be sure that it was in place. She had purposefully picked her outfit today knowing that Trip was probably going to propose. It was equal parts romantic and seductive. Her low cut blouse was elegant and flattering, showing off her cleavage without being vulgar. Her dress pants were tight but flared out over her favorite pair of heels. Natalie walked over to the door and let Trip into the apartment.

He kissed her gently on the cheek and immediately took a seat on the sofa that she had just vacated. She took the seat at the opposite end of the sofa and waited for him to speak. Trip examined his hands closely, thinking about what he wanted to say and ask, before he looked up at Natalie. She, like always, had a blank expression, no emotion, no thought, nothing showing on her face. He exhaled slowly, calming his nerves. He didn't care about this money that his uncle had left him but his mother didn't want to see it go to anyone else and he figured he could always save the money until he had a family.

He finally found a way to begin. "Natalie can I ask you a question?"

"Of course Charles, anything." He really did hate that she never called him by his nickname. For some reason she hated it and didn't want to call him anything but his given name.

"Do you love me?" He waited for her answer. He didn't think that he loved her. Their relationship was never one for the storybooks. She shifted slightly, clearly unsure of what answer he wanted. Her non-answer was answer enough for him. "That's what I thought."

He stood up and began pacing the room. After a few minutes of silent pondering he turned to her, obviously struggling with what to say, and silently made his way out of the room.

* * *

The 602 Club was a long time favourite haunt of Trip and Jon. He knew he would find his best friend here. He greeted Ruby with a small smile and she responded by pointing over her shoulder to a figure hunched over a mug of beer. The remains of his other drinks were littered about him and if Jon didn't know that Trip could handle his drink he would have been concerned.

After he ordered himself a drink Jon settled into the booth seat across from him and decided to just come out and ask what he wanted to know. "So, are we going to be hearing wedding bells soon?"

Trip looked up and shot Jon a deadly glare. "As a matter of fact no. I didn't ask her to marry me. I asked her if she loved me and she just looked uncomfortable. _Uncomfortable!_ That woman is made of ice. I don't consider myself too romantic. Considering my past experience in relationships I don't know if romantic is my strong suit, but..." He slammed his fist down on the table causing his beer to slosh over the rim of his mug. "But damn me, I want to at least be loved. Is that too much to ask for? I don't expect low lighting, slow dancing, big musical numbers, or slow-motion meet-cute's. I just expect the person I'm presumably going to spend the rest of my life with to actually like me, hopefully even love me!"

Jon could see that Trip was far from consolable and decided that it might be best to just let him commiserate and drink away his sorrows. Three hours later and more drinks than he cared to think about Jon and Trip parted ways. Ruby arranged for a taxi to pick them up and drive them the short way back to Starfleet HQ. Trip stared up at the sky and let his tumultuous thoughts wash over him as the chilly night air began to clear his mind. He looked over just as Jon was climbing into the cab, giving the driver instructions. Jon poked out his head and raised an eyebrow in unspoken question.

"I think I'll walk Cap'n." Trip responded. Jon nodded silently, content with letting his friend ruminate on his unusual situation. The taxi drove off and Trip headed in the opposite direction, already curious as to where his feet were taking him.

Trip walked on for an hour, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of San Francisco. He neared the quarter of the city that was now predominately Vulcan and reminisced over a family vacation the Tucker's once took here. They had stayed in a friends home for a month, sight-seeing, adventuring, and travelling the west-coast. It was strange now walking the silent street knowing that the majority of the homes here were filled with non-Humans. Trip himself didn't have any problems with aliens but he knew how hard it was for others to accept Vulcans into their neighborhood.

Just as he was making his way past a home now under the auspices of the Vulcan Embassy a strange occurrence caught his eye. If he didn't know better he would say that he was witnessing a Vulcan climbing out of a window on rope fashioned out of bed sheets. He blinked multiple times, assured that it wasn't his fleeting inebriation that was causing such an hallucination. He ventured forth into the yard of the house and stood silently beneath the escapee.

Once he realized that the rope was not long enough even for a Vulcan, no doubt due to limited resources, he at once spoke out. "Your rope isn't gonna be long enough." His unexpected voice caused the Vulcan on the rope to visibly tense up. "Look, if you jump down I'll catch ya. That way you won't get hurt."

The Vulcan on the rope nodded and eased down the remaining length of the rope and then gently glided into Trip's outstretched arms. He overestimated his sobriety and balance thus causing them to fall to the ground. It was when he landed on his back, the Vulcan stranger landing on top of him, did he realize something startling.

He had just rescued a Vulcan Damsel in Distress.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He had just rescued a Vulcan Damsel in Distress.

The Vulcan woman quickly disentangled herself from her would-be savior. Trip was startled at how quickly the young woman removed herself from his grip and regained her composure. It was always impressive to him how composed her species appeared to be. He staggered to his feet and began putting his clothing to rights.

After a moment of dusting off and rearranging clothing the young Vulcan spoke up. "Your assistance was most useful. You have my gratitude."

Trip cleared his throat and motioned to the house behind her. "You're welcome ma'am but how do I know I didn't just help some Vulcan Indiana Jones escape after stealing something culturally important? I should go in there and let them know I found you climbing out of that window."

Trip could see the woman visibly stiffen at his words. "That would be most unfortunate. I must request that you do not undertake this course of action." She glanced back at the house for a moment before turning back to Trip. "I will explain why my actions were necessary if you will take me to a more secure location."

Trip ran his tongue around the inside of his right cheek. "Well, okay, but any funny business and I'm comin' right back here and turnin' you in. Deal?"

The woman seemed to consider his terms before speaking. "Agreed."

* * *

The cramped apartment received its midnight quests. Trip led the woman into his living room and motioned her to sit down. He sat a respectful distance away from her and turned to face her. "First things first, I think we should exchange names. I'll uh," he rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, "I'll go first. I'm Commander Charles Tucker III. My friends call me Trip." He put his hand forward for her to shake it before realizing his faux pas and in turn attempted the ta'al.

The woman raised one eyebrow at his attepmt and returned it. "Greetings Charles. I am T'Pol of Vulcan. It is agreeable to make your acquaintance. I believe now that the pleasantries are over you would like for me to explain why my actions were necessary." Trip nodded so T'Pol began her explanation. "You may find it difficult to believe but I am trying to escape an unwanted marriage. My childhood betrothed is named Koss. I do not wish to marry Koss. His father holds a position of power within my government and is using this power to threaten my mother in order to coerce me into marrying his son."

Trip interrupted her when she stopped for a breath. "Let me get this straight. Some powerful Vulcan is forcing you to marry his son? He is a powerful man, why would he need to threaten you? Why would he want you to marry his son? What could he possible have on your mother?"

T'Pol nodded slightly and answered his questions to the best of her ability. Trip did not need to know everything so she told him everything she thought he needed to know. "On Vulcan we implement a clan system. My clan is one of the oldest. I am a direct descendant of the first Kholinar master. Koss does not belong to an old and prominent clan. His father wishes to use the authority and respect that my clan garners to support his own political agenda. Recently my mother has been seen in the presence of Vulcan dissidents who follow the leadership of a man named Syrann. The Syrannites are a pacifistic spiritual group who seek out the Kir'Shara. The full writings of Surak have been lost to Vulcan and we now only have translations and interpretations. If the Syrannites do indeed find the Kir'Shara, Vulcan society would drastically change. It is my belief that Minister V'Las, the leader of the Vulcan High Command, and his aids wish to keep this from happening. Two days ago my mother failed to answer my subspace call. Due to the distance we scheduled all of our calls to keep any interfering events to a minimum. She did not return my call the next day at our scheduled time either. Upon asking her coworkers I discovered that my mother has not been to the Vulcan Science Academy in two weeks and has not been seen for a week."

Trip nodded his head slowly. The faint pounding of his head alerted him to the fact that he had indeed ingested a substantial amount of alcohol during his trip to the 602 Club. He wondered vaguely if this whole episode wasn't some sort of hallucination or dream. "So you snuck out to get away from this Koss fella now you, what? Want to sneak off to Vulcan to find your mom?"

T'Pol raised an eyebrow in amazement. "Perceptive. I do indeed plan on returning to Vulcan to discover the whereabouts of my mother and, if possible, aid in the discovery of the Kir'Shara."

Trip stood up quickly, using his hands braced on his knees to propel himself upwards. "Alright. Well, looks like we're goin' to Vulcan."

T'Pol stood as well and faced her Human companion. "I do not understand."

Trip had a faraway look in his eyes. He was deep in thought, the sound of T'Pol's voice brought him back into reality. "Hm? Oh, well it sounds to me like they are gonna come lookin' for you. If you're alone you'll undoubtedly be outnumbered. They may even look for you alone. If you travel with me, a human, while disguised as a human, you just might get where you're going without being troubled." He started to walk out the door but turned back when he noticed T'Pol following. "Stay here. I'll be back in a little while, then we can get going."

* * *

T'Pol sat in meditation for nearly two hours before hearing Trip return through the front door. The couch cushions had provided an acceptable replacement for a meditation mat. She slowly opened her eyes and took in an unusual scene. Trip walked through the door carrying various packages and a small bag. He smiled slightly at seeing her watching him and motioned for her to join him at the kitchen table. She stood slowly, her legs only moderately stiff from the long period of immobility. T'Pol picked up the nearest package, a jar of cream marked '_follicle stimulant'_, and then placed it back on the table top.

"Why have you purchased these items?" During her meditation she realized his plan was logical and, as impossible as it seemed, she trusted him. She didn't even know him but she trusted him.

"Well, if you're going to be travelling incognito you can't exactly go lookin' like that." He motioned up and down her robe clad body. She raised an eyebrow. "So, I borrowed some hair growth gel so your hair will grow to cover your ears and the bangs should help with the eyebrows some. I purchased some clothes, I don't know your exact size but you look to be the same size as my sister Lizzie so I just bought you what she wears. I also bought these." He opened a small velvet covered box revealing two golden bands. "They're wedding rings. We're gonna travel as a married couple. Less questions. I also got this but I'm not sure if you'll want to wear it." He opened up another velvet covered box and inside T'Pol could see a golden band with small blue and red stones. It was truly beautiful but T'Pol was unsure if wearing two rings would feel cumbersome. Apparently her thoughts played out on her face because Trip closed the box with a small smile. "Didn't think so. Okay, lets get started.

Forty-five minutes later T'Pol looked in the mirror and saw a human woman staring back. The effect was jarring. Her hair was now a light brown and flowed past her shoulders. It was all one length and held no shape but Trip had promised to get her a hair cut. Because, "you don't want a terrible hair-do to draw too much attention." Her attire was equally unusual to her. The red silk blouse he had picked for her to travel in was matched with a pair of dark blue slacks. Her black boots 'would have to do' for her outfit but Trip had also provided her with a pair of shoes he called sandals and an uncomfortable looking pair of heels. She silently admitted to herself that Trip did indeed know how to shop for her. However, his sense of fashion did not extend to himself. She suppressed a frown when she thought of his atrociously bright button up shirt that he insisted on wearing to the starport. She made it a mission to convince him to change. Once he was out of his shirt and into a more appropriately coloured shirt she would dispose of the offending garment. She raised an eyebrow in silent contemplation. Perhaps she could even dispose of the other offensive pieces of his wardrobe that he had already packed.

Trip interrupted her thoughts by entering the room and looking her up and down. Normally such an action would have caused T'Pol to feel uncomfortable, if only inwardly, but his appraisal was not sexual in nature. He only wanted to ascertain the effectiveness of her disguise. "Lookin' good. We're just waitin' for my friend Barbra. She's a hairdresser, she can fix ya up and then we can hop on the transport I've arranged for." He saw her concern. "No need to worry Darlin' Barb's good with the confidentiality and she's Starfleet so she lives two apartments down." The sound of the door chime drew their attention. Trip moved out of the room calling back to T'Pol. "Come on! No time to waste."

* * *

Jonathan Archer pressed the chime to his best friends apartment. He knew Trip had been drinking pretty heavily the night before and was worried about him. When Trip didn't answer Jon just assumed it meant he was still sleeping it off. He was going to turn away when he heard the sounds of Elaine and Elizabeth Tucker making their way towards Trip's apartment for the second day in a row. He steeled himself against their persuasion and made to move away when Lizzie caught his arm and keyed in the override code that her brother had given her in case of emergencies.

The door slid open revealing an unusually cluttered living room. Trip's apartment was usually immaculately clean. It wasn't because he was so concerned with cleanliness, on the contrary Trip just didn't spend enough time in his apartment to dirty it. The sight of shopping bags and piles of discarded clothing caused Jon to worry that his friend had jumped town to avoid his overbearing mother. As the three of them made their way around the apartment trying to discover any evidence as to Trip's whereabouts Jon saw two things that made his heart beat faster and his head hurt from confusion. The first were discarded and rumpled Vulcan robes and the second was a jewelry box. Jon opened the box and nearly dropped it in shock. He held the engagement ring in his hand for a moment before Lizzie noticed he had gone still.

She began to approach him slowly so as not to startle him. "What is it Jon? What have you found?" Jon moved his opened palm towards her allowing her to see his burden. She gasped in shock not only at the sight of the ring in Jon's palm but also the robe at his feet. "You don't think Trip ran away do you? With a Vulcan?"

Jon just shook his head. "He always was more romantic underneath than we gave him credit for, but a Vulcan? I don't know Lizzie. Maybe he proposed to her and she said 'no'?"

"I don't think so." Both heads swiveled to look at Mrs. Tucker who was holding another jewelry box. "This box held wedding bands. Maybe the woman didn't want an engagement ring?" She sat down dumbfounded. "How could we have pushed him towards Natalie? She's a robot." She started to choke up. "Now he's married an emotionless alien." She began sobbing and Lizzie moved to her side. Jon closed his eyes and hoped that Trip wouldn't do something as stupid as marrying a Vulcan.

* * *

"Mr. and Mrs. Turner?" Trip and T'Pol moved forward to the desk. "Your tickets are here. I just need to see identification." Trip pulled out his and T'Pol's forged ID chips from his pocket. He passed them to the clerk and prayed that Malcolm had indeed delivered on his debt. "Very well. Mr. Turner. You and your wife are on the public transporter _Chaise Lounge._" Trip suppressed a snicker at the name. "Here are your tickets. Have a safe journey."

Charles 'Turner' and his wife 'Paula' made their way to the departure gate unaware of the distress that Trip's friends and family were undergoing.

The transport arrived and Trip and T'Pol boarded and made their way to Vulcan. Trips final thought was not of the mission but of the accommodations.

"Couldn't this place be a little roomier?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Couldn't this place be a little roomier?"

T'Pol turned back to her companion as she made her way to their cramped compartment. She raised an eyebrow as she keyed in the door code. "You made all of the arrangements. If something is not to your liking then you have only yourself to blame."

Trip followed her in, tongue stuck into his right cheek. The small compartment was barely large enough for the double bed that was shoved up against the furthest wall underneath a one meter by one meter viewport. The place smelled of old socks and damp bodies. "I know, it's just that this was the last transport off of Earth and I figured that it would be less conspicuous to travel commonly than to arrange for a nicer transport. 'Sides, it isn't so bad. We'll be to Vulcan in two weeks and that'll be that." He sat on the bed, testing its firmness. He lamented the poor sleep he was sure to experience upon that bed. Trip looked up and saw that T'Pol was concerned about something. _Funny how I can read the emotions of a Vulcan stranger better than I could ever read Natalie. _"What's wrong?"

T'Pol was momentarily taken aback by his question. This Human was uncommonly perceptive when it came to her internal musings and suppressed emotions. She gestured to the bed and spoke of her discomfort. "There is only one bed." When he didn't respond she steadied her breathing and gave voice to the problem she had hoped to avoid. "I do not know you well enough to share a bed with you. It was be _improper_ to share such an intimate experience with one who is not my species."

Trip looked down and thought it through. It made sense that she wouldn't want to share a bed with a stranger. The fact that she was making it about species bothered him some but he let it go. He couldn't claim to understand Vulcan's very well. He stood up and approached the small sofa that was on the adjacent wall. He pushed down on the cushion with his hand, testing its comfort before he looked at her. "I'll just crash on the couch. You can take the bed. I don' wanna put you in any uncomfortable situations."

T'Pol raised an eyebrow at this. "That is illogical. You are too large to sleep comfortably on the sofa. I will fit much better and I require less sleep than you. You must take the bed."

Trip shook his head and smiled broadly at her. "Can't do that Darlin'. On my planet a gentleman _never_ kicks the lady off of the bed. Even if he has to camp out on an uncomfortable sofa for a few weeks. It just ain't done."

T'Pol moved forward, intent on sitting on the sofa. "That is illogical. You would risk weeks of discomfort to uphold this code of honor?"

Trip sat next to her, as far away as the small sofa would allow. "Yep. Now let's unpack and head to the mess to see if there is anything to eat."

"Mess?" T'Pol found herself constantly confused by this Human. His adherence to an honor code made her rethink her initial impression of his species and of the gentleman himself.

He just chuckled and began unpacking their things. "It's an old military tradition to call the cafeteria the 'Mess Hall'." As Trip continued to unpack and explain the history of the term 'Mess Hall' T'Pol took it all in, contemplating the turn of fate that brought these two unlikely allies together.

* * *

Kyle Jones made his way slowly through the San Francisco foot traffic. His face slightly flushed from the unusual exertion. The overcast sky painted a pale and drab world around him and he suppressed a shiver from overtaking him. The destination ahead of him brought about mixed feelings. He knew that asking his soon-to-be brother-in-law to help him was not necessarily the best idea but Trip was a good man. He would do it for Natalie. Surely he would. The security officer at the front gate commed Trip's apartment to see if Kyle would be permitted. He could feel his palms sweating.

The security officer turned to him, her face apologetic. "Sorry sir, Commander Tucker is not home." Kyle started to panic. "However, Captain Archer is there, he'll see you." Kyle thought of it for a moment and then nodded to the woman.

Kyle entered the apartment and nervously allowed Jon to show his to a seat. "Where's Trip?" He sat down comfortably on the couch and made himself comfortable. He noticed how uncomfortable Jon looked. "What, what is it?"

Jon reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet covered box. He put it down on the coffee table between them and pushed it towards Kyle. Kyle picked it up, his interest peaked. He opened it up and saw the gold band with the red and blue stones. His forehead creased in a deep frown. "An engagement ring?"

John nodded his head sadly. "That's not all. We found Vulcan robes on the floor too."

Kyle looked up from the ring, startled. "You're not saying what I think you're saying." Laughter burst forth from his gut. He quickly reigned it in and wiped a tear from his right cheek. "So Trip what? Ran off with some Vulcan lady?" He laughed again. "Good for him." Jon shook his head in confusion. "You know, I was coming here today to ask Trip for money. I was seriously going to ask him if he would lend me money because I know he has it. I was going to use his relationship with my sister as a bargaining piece." He laughed again. "I'm glad he got away. We would have bled him dry and Natalie would have bored him to pieces."

Lizzie Tucker entered the living room from the back of the apartment after this proclamation and decided to voice her distaste at how Kyle was approaching the situation. "Kyle, is that any way to talk about your sister? Besides, we don't know if Trip really did run off with a Vulcan." She sat down on the arm of the chair that Jon was occupying. Her blonde hair was pulled back and her blue eyes shone with worry. "Why do you need money? Isn't your mom workin' on some new fangled shielding tech? I thought she was gonna sell it to the highest bidder?"

Kyle sighed and pulled his hand down his face. "She is- was. The problem is she was on her way to a meeting with Starfleet when her transport was stopped and her research was stolen. The compact she keeps in secured in was the only thing taken." He scratched his chin. "Suspicious since only family knew where she kept the thing."

Lizzie frowned and Jon sat forward. "Are you saying it was an inside job?"

Kyle shrugged. "If it was then we'll get to the bottom of it. I was here to borrow the money from Trip because my mom wanted to hire a private investigator."

Jon looked to the side in thought. "We should tell Starfleet Security. They'll put someone on it."

* * *

The Mess Hall was filled with all manner of people. Trip perused the food and found something resembling lasagna and grabbed a plate of vegetables for T'Pol. He almost forgot what she looked like but managed to find the long haired blonde sitting at a table near a viewport. "Takin' in the view?" She looked up at his question and he was suddenly struck with the thought that T'Pol was a very attractive woman.

She motioned for him to sit next to her and silently accepted the plate of food from him. "I was just meditating in preparation for this adventure."

Trip took a tentative bite of his 'lasagna' and nodded his head. "This kind of tastes like Chicken Tikka Masala but saltier. Not bad." He looked towards the viewport and sighed. "It's amazing that we're traveling at Warp 3 right now. I've dreamed about space my whole life."

T'Pol looked our the viewport as well. In a show of uncommon candor she nodded slowly. "I too looked to the stars as a child. Vulcan's do not dream but if I did I would most likely have dreamed of space." Trip looked over at her and smiled.

He was really starting to like his Vulcan companion.


	4. Chapter 4

He was really starting to hate his travelling companions. The people all around him gave off a distinct aura of distaste. Even the Vulcans were unable to fully mask their dislike of him. Being a V'Tosh Ka'tur he was used to being disliked by his own species but when that Human male had given him what could have only been called a "stink eye" he felt angry. A feeling he wallowed in, relishing the ebb and flow of unsuppressed emotion. The Human female who sat next to the male drew Tolaris' attention. She was unlike anyone else on the transport. She looked Human, was travelling with a Human, and even answered to a Human name but she felt different. The air around almost hummed with mystery and there was nothing Tolaris loved more than a mystery.

He double checked that his "package" was safely tucked away and approached the woman. Her companion, whom Tolaris assumed was her mate, was otherwise occupied. She sensed him approaching and turned to face him. Again he was struck with just how unusual this woman was.

"Perhaps I have met you before?" He inquired. She did seem familiar in a sense.

She raised her right eyebrow and tilted her head to the side. "That is not possible. I would remember if we had met." Her brush off didn't faze him. He was determined to be near her for the duration of their trip. "Perhaps you are mistaking me for someone else?"

Tolaris shrugged slightly. "Even so, I would still like to converse with you." He could feel the presence of someone standing behind him. He knew it must be the woman's mate. As Tolaris slowly turned around he suppressed his annoyance at the Human's need to always interfere with his interactions. It was a rare occurrence that Tolaris actively suppressed any emotional response but he needed to do so if he was going to get to know the woman better.

"What's goin' on here?" The Human male had a strange accent that made understanding his Earth Standard very difficult. Tolaris couldn't understand how the woman could so easily converse with him.

The woman turned to her mate and responded in clipped tones. "This man has mistaken me for an acquaintance of his. I have informed his that we have never met."

The man turned an annoyed look upon Tolaris. "Well fella' looks like the lady isn't interested in bein' bothered any more. Maybe you should move along." The man walked around him and grabbed the woman gently by the arm and pulled her away from Tolaris. He watched them go with ever increasing annoyance. He double checked that his "package" was concealed and then moved on to his own sleeping area.

* * *

The ship shook violently under Trip's feet. He glanced over at T'Pol who seemed to be handling their predicament with enviable Vulcan calm. Once again the intercom crackled to life and the strained voice of the captain filled the air.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have been alerted by the nearest UESCA ship that there is a star base ready to receive us. Their security vessel will intercept in fifteen minutes. We expect the Nausicaans to move off at that time. Fifteen more minutes people and we'll be safe."

Once again Trip was struck with just how dangerous their mission was. He'd never been in a ship fired upon by pirates before. Another stolen glance at T'Pol and he could see the calm façade still in place. The fifteen minutes rocked and shuttered by as the ship was hit with volley after volley of weapons fire. As their transport limped towards the star base Trip and T'Pol quickly packed.

They moved about their small cabin grabbing the few things they had unpacked. T'Pol corrected the duvet on the bed while Trip replaced his borrowed pillows. Once the cramped room looked and smelled as it did when they had arrived four days earlier they sat down on the sofa. He turned his body slightly so he could face T'Pol who noticed the shift in his body language and moved to mirror him.

"Pretty exciting stuff huh?" His attempt at opening dialogue was met with silence and a barely perceptively raised eyebrow. "When we get to the star base we're going to need to find a new ship. Preferably something without your new best friend."

T'Pol sat up even straighter. "It is peculiar that he is so insistent. For a Vulcan his behavior is unusual and unacceptable."

"Trust me, it's rude to Humans too. We're traveling together as a married couple. He's pretty bold to think that he could get close to you with me on the same ship." Trip couldn't quite understand their fellow passenger. He was unlike any Vulcan he had ever met. His emotions were right on the surface. T'Pol was different, he could read her pretty well, but her emotions didn't make Trip uncomfortable.

"Perhaps bold is not the proper way to describe him." Trip returned this with a raised eyebrow of his own. "I think that Tolaris is more than likely a V'Tosh Ka'tur."

Trip frowned. "Okay, you have my attention. What is a V'Tosh Ka'tur?"

T'Pol took a deep, cleansing breath. "They are Vulcans without logic. They have rejected the teachings of Surak and allow their emotions to control them."

Trip's frown deepened. "So they're like humans?"

"No, they are not like humans. They are dangerous. On Vulcan they are considered deviants. They are social outcasts. V'Tosh Ka'tur experiment with certain techniques that Vulcans find repulsive or criminal. They are unwelcome on our world. If Tolaris truly is a V'Tosh Ka'tur his violent and unchecked emotions could cause him to act out irrationally. It would be wise if we avoided him from now on."

Trip nodded silently. "You won't hear any complaints from me. I don't like the guy, he gives me the creeps?" T'Pol raised a questioning eyebrow at that. "It means he makes me uncomfortable. It's just an instinct telling me to avoid him and to keep an eye on him if I can't avoid him."

"Fascinating. Perhaps in this instance trusting your instinct is the logical thing to do."

Trip smirked. "Perhaps."

* * *

The star base was quickly approaching through the view port. Tolaris waited in the secluded hatch by the outer hatch. He would watch his new favorite couple and follow them. He knew eventually the woman would come to him. He would be successful. What woman could possibly choose a weak Human male when she can be the chosen mate of a strong Vulcan male? He knew that soon she would see the logic. Tolaris had infrequently put much stock in the idea or implementation of logic but if it would bring him that woman he would stake his life on it.


	5. Chapter 5

The sounds and smells of thousands upon thousands of dirty sentient beings filled the starbase. Every meter of ground covered brought a new stinging, cloying scent to Trip's nose. He glanced over at T'Pol and could see that she was struggling to keep her face neutral. The strong smells were overwhelming to his human nose but as a female Vulcan they must be mind numbing. He quickly directed them towards a quieter section of the base filled primarily with Humans and Vulcans. He found it interesting that in the large base Humans and Vulcans would choose to reside together instead of with other species.

The face of the building was covered in a collage of posters and advertisements for various performers and shops. Trip was doubtful that this place was what they were looking for but he was desperate. The door opened with a pneumatic hiss as he and T'Pol entered and made their way to the front desk. The attendant, a young woman with bright red curly hair and a smattering of freckles greeted them.

"Good afternoon sir, ma'am. How can I help you?" The startling thick Georgia accent that greeted his ears made him smile instinctively.

"Good afternoon Darlin'. I'm wonderin' if you by any chance have rooms available?" He smiled as brilliantly as possible. T'Pol wondered if he noticed that his accent became thicker whilst speaking to this young woman. She was also mildly annoyed by the open flirtation he was using to secure rooms for them.

The young woman behind the desk, whose name tag designated as Anna May, blushed a deep red and smiled shyly back at Trip. She tapped on the keyboard, her eyes flicking back and forth between the screen in front of her and Trip's face. Finally she frowned and her eyes flicked, for the first time, to T'Pol's face. "Well sir, I have two empty rooms. Will you be needin' both of 'em?"

The sound of the door opening behind them drew T'Pol's attention. The sight of their fellow traveller caused her to move instinctively closer to Trip. He glanced back and suppressed the desire to bare his teeth. He turned his attention back to the woman at the front desk and smiled. "No thank you, my wife and I will only be needin' one room." He knew T'Pol wasn't entirely happy with this arrangement but it couldn't be helped. He'd rather sleep on the floor or the sofa for the foreseeable future if it meant T'Pol wasn't vulnerable to that man.

The young woman behind the desk seemed to wilt at his words. Perhaps her hopes for a minor flirtation with Trip died at the mention of a wife. T'Pol was surprisingly pleased at this change. Trip made the arrangements for the room and payed the young woman. As they made their way up the stairs towards their room T'Pol could hear the Vulcan man inquiring into the last room available.

* * *

Trip sat comfortably on the edge of the bed and waited for T'Pol to exit the restroom. He looked around the small hotel room he was sharing with her and sighed. It was small, very small. He hadn't expected it to be so sparsely furnished. The queen sized bed that took up the majority of the room and the small table that stood against the far wall facing the bathroom took up what was left of the space not needed just to navigate the room. The small walk in closet that sported a crooked hanging sliding door was just large enough for T'Pol to stand in and hold her arms out to the side as long as they were bent at the elbow.

This little hole in the wall hotel was anything but charming but it did offer Trip a unique opportunity. He was practically _required_ to sleep in the same bed as T'Pol. He would be lying to himself if he said that he had not been thinking about that since they arrived in their room. He would also be lying to himself if the thought hadn't popped into his mind while lying awake at night on the uncomfortable sofa in his previously shared room with T'Pol.

The sound of running water drew his attention and he looked expectantly at the door to the restroom. T'Pol exited with a raised eyebrow and sat down next to him on the bed. He tried not to notice how she sat much closer to him than when they first started on their journey. He focused on her lips, which he noticed absently were quite lovely and mentally shook himself so that he would pay attention to her words.

"It would seem we are required to share a bed." She motioned to the bed they were sitting on and Trip nodded his head.

"Yeah, sorry about this. If I had known how small the rooms are I would have taken us somewhere else"

"There is no need to apologize. The young woman at the front desk did not give us a description of the room and we were otherwise occupied by the presence of the Vulcan passenger from our transport." She paused and looked down at the bed once again. "It may not be the most desirable of situations but it would seem that our sleeping arrangements are not reversible at the moment. It would be logical to prepare ourselves for the remainder of our stay here."

Trip suppressed a sigh and nodded. "You're right." He placed his palms flat on his knees and stood from the bed. He turned to her and smiled. "Hungry? I think I saw a Vulcan restaurant on the way here."

T'Pol stood gracefully from the bed and moved closer to him. "Indeed. Are you willing to consume more Vulcan cuisine?"

Trip smiled again more broadly and offered the crook of his arm to her. She linked arms with him and allowed herself to be led out of the room. "Of course Darlin', anything for you."

* * *

Tolaris watched as the Human couple made their way towards the commerce section of the base. He could already smell the familiar scent of Plomeek broth wafting through the air. The smell stirred long since buried feelings of homesickness. He suppressed them and focused once again on his job. The weight of the data device pressed gently upon his left thigh. Every step caused his burden to bump against his thigh. His contact was not happy with recent developments and would be getting ahold of him shortly to rethink the schedule.

He sighed deeply and moved away from the window. His employer was not a patient man and would be greatly displeased at his current level of distraction. The soft pinging alert tone sounded from his communicator drawing his attention.


End file.
